TinCan Podcast, 13 March 2012
Rory (Silas Hawkins), a journalist with no real recent experience of
interviewing contemporary rock stars, goes to interview May Glenholme (Fiona McKinnon), a twentysomething with a history of hell-raising
who has already spent a decade at the top of her business.
Initially it seems as if the interview will turn out to be one of those celebrity
junkets, where the subject parrots cliches about her future plans, while the journalist simply notes it down. However
as the conversation unfolds, Rory seems less and less interested in May's professional exploits, and more in her complicated
personal life. Managed by her father, a long-term dypsomaniac as well as a canny business person, she has spent most of her
life in pubs, having learned to play music there while a very young girl. Although phenomenally talented, she often abuses
that talent with what might be termed outrageous behaviour - appearing drunk on stage, walking off in the middle of a
gig, and so on. May defends herself by saying that she only did this "for her fans," on account of the indifferent acoustics,
but Rory is not fooled. As a father himself, he wonders just how much May understands about her life, and whether she receives
sufficient guidance from her parents and/or advisers. May objects to this line of questioning, but when she understands his
sincere motives, her attitude suddenly softens.
Leaving a Legacy ends with an unexpected twist, as Rory discloses the real
reason for his coming to interview her. He hates the idea, but has to do as his editor (Chris Spyrides) tells him.
Jonathan Brown's play contains strong echoes of the rise and fall of Amy Winehouse,
showing how a hugely talented young woman veers off the emotional straight and narrow as a result of poor advice and indifferent
parenting. Like Rory, we sympathize with her plight. Although only just over fifteen minutes long, Leaving a Legacy packs
a strong emotional punch.
